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Willow, the Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever Puppy from Dana Point

Tuesday, December 7th, 2021

Meet Willow, one of the sweetest & most beautiful dogs I’ve ever had the privilege of photographing! I was veryyy tempted to steal this pup and take her back home with me, haha – especially since it’s not every day that I get to photograph a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling retriever! She is a total sweetheart and loves to make new friends. Willow is actually her mom’s first dog, and they are already off to a great start! I loved seeing the bond that they have already made. And if this is just the beginning of their relationship, then I can’t wait to see what it grows and blossoms into from here!

We started our session at Balboa Park, which turned out to be a wonderful (if incredibly busy) spot. Despite all the activity & distractions, she was a perfect angel throughout the afternoon, and did just about everything we asked her to do. I was impressed with her obedience for such a young pup at just 5 months old! There’s a lot of time and work that go into obedience training and it can feel like you’re making progress at a snail’s pace. Puppies have a short attention span and it’s a big world for them to figure out (and be distracted by), so training can be extremely challenging. It takes time, energy and effort – and Willow’s mom has done SUCH a good job staying consistent! I’m here to tell you that all the hours they’ve put in together have paid off – not only for her, but it made my job a lot easier too, haha! Willow’s focus allowed us to get a great variety of portraits. The park was a spectacular setting with all of its bright colors, too; it worked well with Willow’s ruby red fur and I’m so glad we started our session there.

We eventually headed to the studio, where the sights & sounds of the park faded and we got to slow down & relax a bit. I remember feeling pretty excited throughout our photo session because of how well everything was going, and I figured the portraits were not going to disappoint. So here’s Willow’s sneak peek… you be the judge! 😉

     

This sweet face is Willow!

nova scotia duck tolling retriever dog
     

As soon as I saw these flowers, I knew Willow belonged amongst them. Thankfully, she was willing to entertain all of our crazy ideas!

nova scotia duck tolling retriever puppy
     

She was a natural in the studio. And I think we all enjoyed the change of pace from the park!

nova scotia duck tolling retriever dog in studio
     

I’m excited to see how Willow and her mom’s relationship continues to develop and deepen over the years. They are such a cute pair! Training aside, they simply have a great bond, and it’s always so lovely to see a person and dog in sync with one another.

Emily, thank you so much for visiting the studio all the way from Dana Point! I’m excited to share the rest of our images with you very soon!

     

A Trio of Rhodesian Ridgebacks: Magnolia, Gryffin & Sequoia

Tuesday, October 19th, 2021

Rhodesian ridgebacks have a special place in my heart, so I was extremely excited to meet these 3 beautiful dogs! Magnolia, Gryffin, and Sequoia are all purebred Rhodesians, and they’re absolutely beautiful – with very distinct personalities!

We visited the studio for the beginning portion of our photo session. We actually re-created some portraits that their moms (a mother-daughter duo!) already had made of Magnolia & Gryffin – because since Sequoia has joined the family it made sense to update those portraits, of course! Then we moved on to a new location: a winery that I’ve never visited before, Espinosa Vineyards. This was an incredible spot to visit, and such a visual treat! They allowed us to take photos in their actual barrel room and beautiful tasting area outdoors, and even amongst the vines. It was so much fun being in a fresh new place; I loved exploring and creating some beautiful new portraits with the wine theme in mind. Not many people have a distinct plan or theme for their session like this, but I’m so glad my clients’ vision was brought to life!

     
Rhodesian ridgeback dogs
     
rhodesian ridgeback
     

Magnolia is the oldest of the bunch, and the queen in practically every way. She has plenty of training under her belt and is so well-behaved. She did her best to put on a good example for the younger ones. She does have a serious side, but she was a breeze to work with – and simply stunning, as you can see.

rhodesian ridgeback dog
     

Gryffin is the only boy and a little younger, so naturally he’s a little more playful than his big sister. He’s a happy, confident boy who enjoys working for treats! Although at one point he decided to be a little sneaky and let his mischievous side come out – but what would we do without a little wild child?! I’m pretty sure that counts as middle child syndrome, right? Haha!

Rhodesian ridgeback at a winery
     

And last but not least I met Sequoia, the puppy! She hasn’t had as much training as her older siblings, and she was a little cautious around new settings (which includes both my studio and the winery). Throughout the photo session she would check in for reassurance and guidance from her older siblings, with little looks and nudges. But once she verified that everyone was happy and everything was okay, her puppyhood shone through! She was adorable! It was so much fun to work with her, and to see bits and pieces of her personality as we went along.

Rhodesian ridgeback dog in a winery
     

Sydney & Anne, thank you so much for introducing me to your gorgeous pups! I really loved working with all 5 of you, and I can’t wait to share the rest of our portraits with you very soon! :)

     

Simon and Aoife, Siblings

Wednesday, March 11th, 2020

“Siblings (n.) A combination of a best friend and a pain in the neck. They might be the most annoying people around you but you still love them endlessly.” – Anonymous

Simon and Aoife have what I would call the typical brother-and-sister relationship. Aoife is the older sister who seems to roll her eyes and put up with her brother’s antics, whereas Simon couldn’t be more of a younger brother – he’s mischievous, playful, and downright impish. (If Aoife could talk I think she’d agree with me, haha!)

Aoife is a mixed-breed terrier and has a beautiful Irish name, which is pronounced “EE-fah”. She was actually rescued off the streets of Mexico and adopted soon after her dad moved to the United States. It’s so cool to see the bond that Aoife and her dad have developed, since they’ve been together for quite some time now! She is about 13 years old now and is just a sweetheart with a calm, easygoing personality. You can tell that she’s very content and doesn’t need a lot of fancy things… just her dad. (And it’s good thing she’s such a happy girl naturally, because she doesn’t get to play with a lot of toys – her younger brother steals them all!)

Simon is a golden retriever and is the baby of the family at two and a half years old. If he can get away with it, he’ll do it. So even if he already has a great toy, any toy Aoife has (or is eyeing) is better and he feels the need to take it. Of course, right? And since he’s bigger, stronger, and faster, he can! But what I noticed about their relationship is that it’s not like he’s the boss or a bully to her – that’s not the dynamic at all. They actually get along great and accept each other for who they are as siblings. (Which is a pretty great lesson for people too!)

For our photo session, we started in the studio because their parents wanted that classic aesthetic; the studio lets dogs shine and brings out their natural beauty, with no visual distractions. Aoife is one of the most unique-looking, beautiful dogs I’ve ever worked with, so I was thrilled to get her in the studio! She is so photogenic and was happy to pose for us. We had to laugh, though, because their parents were sure that Simon was going to be the “difficult one”. He’s still a puppy and loves to be on the move, which is a recipe for being tricky to photography, but thank goodness: he’s very food-motivated! This helped tremendously and he actually turned out to the easier dog for me to work with! It was a funny surprise and we were all surprised at how well Simon did – really, how well both of them did – for their very first photo session.


We ended up with our fair share of “smiling” photos, but I couldn’t resist sharing this cute dual-head-tilt moment. (I must’ve made the weirdest sound just then, haha!)

dog siblings


mixed breed dog


We then moved onto Del Mar Beach and made the most out of some slightly cloudy weather! I think Simon may have been the happiest out of all of us since he got to let loose and had plenty of room to run around; he was living his best life. We all had a great time!


dog running on beach


dog sibling on the beach


dog with owner


Erika & David, thanks for such a fun afternoon! I’ll see you both again very soon!

Buster the 10-Year-Old Staffy Mix

Friday, October 18th, 2019

I am so happy to introduce you to Buster! He’s a 10-year-old American Staffordshire terrier mix, a total sweetheart, super easy-going, and an as-long-as-my-mom’s-here-I’m-happy kind of dog. He and his mom actually live just a few blocks away from my studio, and that’s where we started our photo session! But after a few minutes we noticed he was somewhat uncomfortable, and just not loving the studio. He was trying his best – but it was clear that it simply wasn’t the ideal place to be. So we decided to adjust our plans and head to Balboa Park shortly into our session – which turned out to a great thing for him! He really came alive in the wide-open environment and it was almost like his head was on a swivel, taking it all in. He was ready to be on guard for his mom (watching verrrrry closely the families playing on the nearby playground, haha!) and it was too cute!

And my favorite part? Our timing was perfect when we arrived; the lighting was absolutely gorgeous. We headed over to a little corner of the park where it was relatively quiet, and he did some more of his favorite pose (laying down). He is 10 years old after all, so we cut him some slack, haha! He did some walking around and even did a little jogging with his mom. (Be forewarned: you might get a workout in the middle of your photo session!) And Buster never gave us any trouble because his mom brought his faaaaavorite treat – chicken! So as long as he had his mom and his chicken, he was a happy boy! :)

Overall, we had a really relaxing and peaceful photo session. Buster is doing great even though his mom is starting to see signs of his age. (You gotta love how healthy mutts tend to be! Buster’s staffy mix heritage is certainly doing him favors these days.) She wanted to get this photo session on our calendars before anything takes a turn, which I think is a perfect idea. I was thrilled to be able to do this for them and can’t wait to show off the rest of his portraits at his ordering session!


staffy mix dog photo


staffy mix dog walking


staffy dog


See you soon, Cynthia! Give that handsome boy a hug for me in the meantime!


Gretzky, the Mixed Breed Rescue Dog

Thursday, August 1st, 2019

Say hello to Gretzky! :) I’ve actually known his parents for a while now, and have photographed their family and a couple of their dogs in the past who unfortunately aren’t with us anymore. This family has a special place in their heart for older dogs; I think they adopted their girl Bullet when she was more than 10 years old – which, for a pittie mix, is getting up there. So imagine my surprise (and probably theirs too) when they recently went to the Humane Society to adopt another senior dog and left with a 4-month-old puppy instead! Haha! I’m so glad they decided to add this spunky little dude to the mix!

They aren’t too sure what mix of breeds Gretzky is, but they’ll be finding out soon via a DNA test. Possibly part pit bull, part Great Dane? (Great Dane is definitely in question!) The mystery is definitely part of the fun of adopting a rescue dog. Either way, he is just adorable and surprisingly calm for a pup his age! He loves treats and my backdrop sparked his curiosity. We were even able to capture a few photos of him with his older siblings, Dozer and Bullet. He clearly adores them and the feeling is mutual… some of the time. ;)

This was his “Puppy Plan” session #1! I’ve been looking forward to it since his mom called me with the announcement of adopting a new puppy. And what a fun way to kick off my first official photo session since coming back from maternity leave! It was a great reintroduction back into the studio, working with past clients on a fresh new project – and I can’t wait to watch Gretzky as he grows up alongside my baby girl! :)

That face!! I might have come back from maternity leave even earlier if I knew Gretzky’s big brown eyes were waiting for me…

rescue dog photo

 

Gretzky would like to take this time to remind you that he’s 100% puppy.

rescue dog portrait


Welcome to the “Puppy Plan” family, Gretzky! I bet you’re going to be a big boy (especially if the Great Dane part is true!) and I can’t wait to see how much you’ve grown in a few months from now…

 

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